The big get in Florida — Rubio — isn't giving

He's young, telegenic and charismatic. He's Hispanic, Catholic and the son of Cuban immigrants. He's a tea party favorite, a GOP star and, many say, the future of the Republican Party.

Sen. Marco Rubio's endorsement would be a big get for any of the presidential contenders ahead of the Jan. 31 Florida primary — if only he were the giving kind.

The freshman senator, who has ties to GOP presidential front-runners Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich, has pledged to stay neutral as Republicans pick a challenger to President Barack Obama. But Rubio's refusal to pick sides hasn't squelched intense speculation about whether Rubio might make a surprise endorsement — and whether he'll end up as the vice presidential nominee.

Rubio publicly insists that he's not interested in either, saying recently that many of those running have been helpful to him and that he's not inclined to endorse anyone in the primary. On Monday, while he was racing to the Senate for a vote, he gave two answers to the endorsement question: a subtle "no" followed by a more emphatic "no." READ MORE